4 Capítulo Hong So parte 1

Chapter Four: The Three States of Consciousness

INTRODUCTION

            The three states of consciousness and the physical and mental reactions produced by them:
                        (1) Consciousness = Restlessness.
                        (2) Subconsciousness = Restfulness and activity.
                        (3) Semi-superconsciousness = Negative peace.
                        (4) Superconsciousness : Positive peace or Bliss.

--From Yogoda Super-Advanced Course, Lesson 3, Swami Yogananda (1930)

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The Ladder of Consciousness

1. Cosmic Consciousness       }                                                                     God Consciousness

            2. Semi-Christ Cosmic Consciousness          }                      Christ Consciousness

3. Christ Consciousness}

            4. Semi-Super Christ Consciousness}

5. Superconsciousness            }                                                                                Soul

6. Semi-Superconsciousness  }

            7. Subconsciousness   }

8. Semi-Subconsciousness     }                                                                     Ego

9. Consciousness        }

10. Attachment to the Senses                                                                                   --From Praecepta Lesson 92 (1938)

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            For there are three states of consciousness: not only conscious and subconscious (about which most people know at least something), but also superconscious (about which few people know anything).

            The conscious mind is our normal waking state of awareness. It represents only a small part of our total consciousness. A far larger part of it lies in the subconscious.

            The subconscious, popularized in modern times by Sigmund Freud, is the hidden but often dominant part of our psyche. We experience something of the subconscious during sleep. The subconscious is active also during our wakeful hours; it influences our behavior, our very attitudes toward life. The subconscious is like the vast ocean with its floor of mountains, valleys, and broad plains. Conscious awareness protrudes from this ocean like a little island. Invisible to the island dweller is the great underwater region around him: the innumerable habits, tendencies, and unformed impressions that underlie the conscious mind. They represent a dimmer, but nonetheless very real, part of our total awareness.

            The superconscious, by contrast, represents a much higher degree of awareness. Indeed, it is the true source of all awareness. The conscious and subconscious minds filter that higher awareness, merely—stepping it down, so to speak, like the transformer that converts a high voltage to a lower and makes it available to our homes.

            Superconsciousness may be compared to the infinite sky overhead, with its vast panoply of stars. We know that the stars are always there, shining. We can only see them, however, when the sunlight doesn’t fill the sky and obscure them. The sunlight, in this analogy, represents ego-generated thoughts and feelings, which blot superconscious awareness out of our mental sky. That superconsciousness is always with us, however. It is simply not dynamic to our normal waking consciousness.

            Superconsciousness is situated, as the name implies, above our normal state of wakefulness. From that higher level come our occasional deep insights and inspirations, when our minds are in a calm and uplifted state. Those insights may penetrate the light of ego-wakefulness like brilliant comets, which have sometimes been seen in the sky even in bright daylight.

            The superconscious is the realm of true vision. It contains the ecstasy experienced during periods of intense prayer or inward upliftment, when the ego’s restlessness has been temporarily stilled.

            The conscious mind, dependent on the intellect, seeks reasonable solutions to its problems. The subconscious mind influences the intellect by prompting it with deep-seated feelings, habit patterns, and personal tendencies. (Our conscious decisions are never so independent as we like to believe them!) Harmful habits, though difficult to banish from the mind, can—by repeated, conscious effort—be redirected into positive channels.                                              --From Meditation for Starters, Chapter Two

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How the Superconscious, Subconscious, and Conscious Minds Work

            The superconsciousness is the pure intuitive, all-seeing, ever-new Blissful consciousness of the Soul. This superconsciousness descends into the deep sleep state and becomes semi-superconsciousness marked by the state of semi-conscious Blissful-state. Then this semi-consciousness, descending into the dream state and the state of imagination, becomes the subconscious mind and is marked by disturbance mixed with Bliss. The subconsciousness, descending into the nervous system and muscles, becomes the conscious state. This conscious state is mostly mixed with worries and very little of the joyous state (mostly hopes of joy only).

            After all, the one superconsciousness of the Soul, while it is located in the brain and in the point between the eyebrows, and is marked by the all-seeing power of intuitive Bliss, it is called “superconsciousness.” Then, when the superconsciousness becomes located in the lower brain and lower spinal center and viscera, it is called “subconsciousness” (state of mixed joy and disturbances). When that superconsciousness comes down into the nerves, muscles, and the senses, it is called “conscious mind.” The subconscious mind and the conscious mind, being manifestations of the superconsciousness, hence both have intuitive powers. That is why sometimes dreams perceived by the subconscious mind come true. That is why strong feelings of the conscious mind also come true.

            The superconscious, subconscious, and the conscious minds, all are working together. Sometimes one is more active than the two others, keeping the two others of this trio working in the background. When one is calm and Blissful, his superconsciousness is manifest in the conscious. When one is imaginative, then his subconscious mind is manifest. When one is thinking fast, his consciousness buries beneath it all calm or imaginative traits.

Where Is Your Consciousness Centered?

            The subconscious mind is the memory mind. It is the mental refrigerator. It keeps experiences locked up, ready to be used again upon instant notice. Experiences from the conscious mind enter the subway of consciousness, remain locked up there only to come out again through another opening into the conscious mind.

            The superconscious mind remains buried beneath the subconscious mind and conscious mind. The subconscious mind is buried beneath the conscious mind, working like a janitor during sleep, keeping the fire of the body and the circulatory functions doing their round of duties. It is continuously memorizing conscious experiences during the state of wakefulness. Therefore, the subconscious mind is always awake, working the involuntary organs during sleep and memorizing conscious experiences during the state of wakefulness.

            The superconscious state, through intuition, knows everything that goes on in the subconsciousness and consciousness. It can remember all experiences forgotten by the subconsciousness and consciousness. The superconscious state can be educated in the school of meditative discipline, then it can recall experiences of past incarnations. Jesus, developed in superconsciousness, could remember the past incarnation of John the Baptist, when he was Elijah.

            The conscious mind is only manifest during wakefulness. It sleeps during the advent of the subconscious mind. The subconsciousness can be trained in the superlative way, so that it can correctly memorize and recall at will all conscious experiences .

            As the conscious mind becomes fossilized without school training or introspective creative thinking, so also the subconscious and superconscious minds are not at all given the necessary training in most individuals, and thus the subconscious mind remains without creative imagination, or power of recall, and the superconscious mind loses its all-seeing power of intuition.

            Here we learn that one’s subconscious mind, likewise without training, develops forgetfulness and the lack of the power of recall. Memory is the recalling power by which we are saved from being children every day, and stops us from repeating our experiences every day. Through memory the identity of individual existence is maintained. For instance, a minister who lost his memory for a while, thought that he was a grocery man, changed his name, and opened up a grocery shop far away from his home town. After three months, his memory came back and he returned home again as a minister. This happened somewhere near Boston, Massachusetts.                                                           --From Praecepta Lesson 48 (1936)

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The Analysis of the Mind

From Praecepta Lesson 74

            Consciousness is felt during the waking hours and it is then that the subconscious mind works as a memory — during the conscious hours. When using our conscious mind, the ego orders the senses, and the muscular processes, and the thought processes in the body to produce certain activity, but as soon as you are using the conscious mind, right behind, the subconscious is working through memory. The conscious mind sleeps at night, but the subconscious is always awake. In the daytime, in memory; at night, attending to dreams, or feeling the peace of the deep sleep.

            As soon as you do not dream, but sleep peacefully, that is called “semi-superconsciousness.” When you can consciously retain the dreamless state of consciousness, it is called “superconsciousness.” It is manifested by the Soul through its intuitive processes. Dwelling behind the conscious mind are the subconscious and superconscious minds.

            The ordinary man uses mostly the conscious mind, and in dreams he works the subconscious mind passively, and in deep sleep he has a glimpse of the semi-superconscious and the superconscious states. By conscious hallucination, one can work the subconscious state, and by conscious meditation one can work the superconscious. The ego, or false consciousness of the Soul, extends up to the subconscious — at the utmost to the semi-superconscious. It cannot go beyond that. Beyond that it is the perception of the Soul.

            The ego is conscious of the Soul born in connection with the body. When the ego comes into its own consciousness, it is called the “Soul.” The Soul when it comes into the charnel house of the senses, it becomes intoxicated with sense perceptions and takes the name of “ego,” but when it cognizes itself, it is called the “Soul.” It has many names. It is “my form,” “my Soul,” “my body,” “my name,” “my nationality.” When the Soul assumes the material limitations of the body, it is called “ego.” When it beholds itself as a reflection of the Spirit, it is called “Soul.”

Visions

            When I say “superconscious visions” that means when the Soul uses its intuition (intuition and superconsciousness are the same) and intuition only, (this is not knowledge, as it is not dependent upon sense perception) plus the energy that accumulates in the brain during sensory and muscular relaxation and focuses its thoughts upon certain actual experiences and then materializes them — then this is called “vision.”

            Semi-vision is a mixture of consciousness — when the Soul uses a mixture of consciousness, subconsciousness and superconsciousness to produce certain half-true visions. This is called “semi-visions” because in the same vision you may also dream. You may see visions, but you are not able to use them exclusively, and you are being half directed into the subconscious or conscious state. Half is vision and half is untrue. It is a conglomerate experience of conscious, subconscious, and superconscious, and relaxed energy of the body processes, which produces semi-visions.

            Under the subconscious state generally comes all the hallucinations, which are detrimental to visions and higher spiritual attainment.

Subconsciously-Induced Dreams

            When the ego retires from the conscious chamber into the subconscious chamber, it utilizes relaxed energy by sensory relaxation, and also utilizes certain stored-up comedy or tragedy films of experiences lodged in the subconscious mind and produced in the dream.

Consciously-Induced Subconscious Dreams

            Any time that you have seen a harrowing war film, or a motion picture of a ghost story, and your mind was greatly impressed, probably just as you fell asleep you saw these things with certain little changes, because those conscious stimuli became mixed with certain subconscious experiences, and then you projected them into a dream.

            All films that are taken by the conscious mind through the lenses of the senses are stored in the subconscious mind and then projected into that kind of a picture or dream. The only difference between consciously and subconsciously-induced dreams is that the consciously-induced dream immediately follows the conscious experience, whereas, in the subconsciously-induced dream, the record of the experience may be stored for several years. Your energy happens to be concentrated upon certain tracts of the brain which are very sensitive, and the energy is so subtle in its effect that you begin to see things. When you become terribly wrathful, you mentally destroy — you almost see. There is a concentration of energy into the brain and the earth centers are affected. So certain experiences are filmed.

            Under consciously-induced dreams comes another: This does not mean dreams that were the outcome of certain experiences before the state of sleep, but consciously-induced dreams are also possible in the following way: Before you retire in your room at night, make the light dim and begin to behold or visualize the area of the room that is lighted, with all the things in it, and begin to concentrate with your whole heart with complete relaxation, and with open eyes. Keep on visualizing the room and fall asleep visualizing that room, and you will find that you can convert this into a conscious dream. Once I was sleeping on my side and certain pictures came. I turned on the other side and immediately the pictures vanished. Then I sat up, saw visions, and slept. It was very wonderful. Pressure on certain tracts of the brain produces certain pictures.

            Superconscious dreams are those in which the Soul’s consciousness through its intuitive camera sees certain future visions and drops them into the subconscious mind and films them there. A great many things are true. For instance, certain experiences of past lives. Superconscious experiences are projected as semi-conscious dreams or visions. You can see a vision with either open or closed eyes, in daylight, or at night. It makes no difference. When you meditate for a long time, these things become like playthings — “having them, no other gain ever becomes greater.”

Important Mental States Described And Classified

            Semi-superconscious dreams or super-consciously-induced dreams generally come true. They are almost like visions, only not superconsciously-induced. The superconsciousness and Soul use the subconscious to produce a semi-dream or a semi-superconscious dream, but the difference between these superconsciously-induced dreams and real visions is as follows:

            A real vision is induced consciously — consciously you start the superconscious, and then produce a vision, but a semisuperconscious dream is produced while sleeping. The Soul arouses itself and uses intuition, then drops into an experience, so that the ego, when it wakes up, may be warned or entertained.

            Hysteria is very injurious. This is when your conscious mind and a certain unbalanced energy of the brain suddenly relaxes from the muscles or limbs and arouses a mental wave in the subconscious mind.

            Hallucination is produced by the subconscious mind using certain relaxed energy of the body and producing a mental picture which you can see with open or closed eyes, but which has no corresponding reality.

            Somnambulism is a motion of the limbs and hallucinations plus a strong muscular activity.

            Unconscious trance is when you remain inert, physically unconscious, but when you stay on the borderland of semi-subconsciousness or semi-superconsciousness — when the internal experience is peace plus certain semi-superconscious and sometimes superconscious dreams. Unconsciousness means when you are unconscious outside and inside, and you can be so inwardly conscious that you are unconscious outside. The last stage is to be unconscious inside and outside at the same time. This means to be conscious of all Nature and God at the same time.

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SUBCONSCIOUSNESS

The Need to Clarify the Subconscious

The greatest obstacle to spiritual progress is that vast terrain of the mind which, to a great extent, conditions our understanding of life without our being aware of the conditioning process. I am referring to the subconscious mind

For it isn’t only our conscious decisions that determine our outlook on life and our accomplishments. In the subconscious lie vast farmlands in need of plowing and cultivation—or, less figuratively, in need of purification and refinement, lest crosscurrents of unnoticed desires and attachments obstruct our every worthwhile undertaking

The subconscious cannot be bullied. It must be coaxed, and its energies carefully redirected. At the end of the chapter I’ll suggest a method for accomplishing this end.

It is a misnomer, in discussing the subconscious, to label it (as many do) the “unconscious “ There is nothing unconscious about it. Indeed, there is nothing unconscious about anything. Not even the rocks are totally unconscious. There is only that aspect of consciousness of which we are not dynamically aware, in the conscious mind. In a country, this aspect would represent that segment of society which aristocrats used snobbishly to write off as the “great unwashed.” It is the unprocessed residue of thoughts, actions, and memories that are ever present, but more or Tess unnoticed. They greatly influence the conscious mind_–which doesn’t often realize how ungoverned by free will its decisions really are.

Thoughts and actions, frequently repeated, form habit patterns in the subconscious mind. Habits can be positive as well as negative. Positively, they free the conscious mind to concentrate on other things.

For example, because we’ve developed the subconscious habit of tying our shoelaces a certain way, we can perform that act automatically, while chatting effortlessly and planning with others the program for the day. If we had to tie our shoelaces with all the care and deliberation of a child learning the job for the first time, all our concentration would have to be focused on that simple act.

Habit is an important labor-saving device of the mind. Without it, we’d be greatly limited in our freedom to accomplish anything.

Habit is also, however, an unthinking and undiscriminating servant. If we repeat a wrong action often enough, our subconscious will direct us to keep on repeating it, even without our conscious awareness of its power to influence us.

There are several ways to gain the upper hand over this domestic staff, our subconscious thoughts and habits.

One way is to make sure we give them only good commands, by performing good actions and entertaining uplifting thoughts.

Another way is to starve the subconscious of bad impulses by refusing to feed it any more bad thoughts and actions.

Still another way is to channel self-damaging impulses more wholesomely, in an opposite direction. For example, if we have an impulse toward avarice, we can acquire things as we normally feel impelled to do, but then give them away to others.

If our wrong habits are too strong to resist, we can at least resist them mentally, thereby withholding energy from them. While starving them in this way, we should give strong energy to creating or strengthening good habits

The best way to change the subconscious is from above—that is, from the level of superconsciousness For the conscious mind is an unreliable soldier in this War of Soul-Independence Just when you most need it, you find it has gone AWOL—“absent without leave”–and is perhaps soaking it up in some local bar. Conscious decisions are tainted by influences of which the conscious mind is not even aware. We say we are free to do what we like, but what makes us like to do what we do? It isn’t that attractiveness is inherent in those things. Likes and dislikes are subjective They rise to the conscious level from the subconscious, and keep us bound to the world’s delusions whether we consciously agree or not. Merely to recognize a fault intellectually, or to recognize a rationalization as being subconsciously inspired, is no guarantee of readiness on our part to be rid of it.

--From Awaken to Superconsciousness –Chapter Five

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Intuition and Soul

            Objective sight is called “intuition,” which is the screen, and the films represent the superconscious or intuitive faculty which takes in some images from the ether and runs through them the intuitive consciousness plus relaxed energy, which produces visions. The screen is objective vision, and the power that photographs superconscious experiences is called “subjective intuition.”

            Subjective sight is called “Soul.” The soul is the pure reflection of Spirit. The soul uses intuition, and the lenses in the eyes photograph certain events from the ether that are filmed. Then it uses some intuition as background, divided into the subjective and objective. You can define consciousness that way. The screen is intuition, and the power that photographs the thing on the film that is made is called “subjective intuition;” superconscious experiences are also projected on the screen of intuition.

            The soul uses subjective intuition to photograph certain superconscious experiences, then it uses this subjective intuition plus those superconscious films and adds to them the relaxed energy from the body and materializes visions on the screen of objective intuition, and produces motion pictures of vision.

            The superconsciously-induced dreams experienced by the subconscious mind are dreams in which the soul takes a real intuitive experience and with that intuition projects a dream. In the superconscious dreams, the soul, as the operator on the screen of intuition, projects pictures, and because the same soul does not take any film from the subconscious, it photographs events from the ether by the lenses of intuition, and projects them as superconscious dreams.

The Composition Of Dreams

            Your usual habit of sleep indicates your usual state of mind. There is a way to distinguish all these different states. These are the fine things that you should know, because they are all roads to Self-Realization.

            Never forget that there is the element of energy in dreams — energy combined with imagination. Without energy you cannot see. Energy materializes the thought. God’s thought was materialized, combined with energy, to produce this Universe. He shows us that if we have control over energy we can create, just as He does.

            Behind Nature is Cosmic Intelligence, plus energy. Energy is the missing link between matter and consciousness. Energy and consciousness are everything. Likewise, God shows us in dreamland that we can create a replica of this dream world, provided we have the consciousness and energy. It is also true that if energy could somehow be kept away from the brain, you would not have hallucinations. If you are peaceful and calm every day, you will not even have dreams. But by consciously inducing energy in the brain, you may see visions.

            Dreams are made of consciousness, relaxed energy, and an idea. The idea is the film, the relaxed energy is the current, and the consciousness is the projector. For example: In the projection of a dream, the subconsciousness is the screen and the relaxed energy from the nerves gather in the brain and the film is the experience impinged in the brain cells. And who is the projector? The Ego. So, when a person is dreaming, his energy has relaxed in the brain; the medulla is the operating chamber, and the Ego takes that current and passes it and its Ego-consciousness through the experiences in the brain cells, and these are projected as subconscious dreams. In subconscious dreams, the Ego, plus relaxed energy, plus experiences located in the brain, produce images.

            Nightmare dreams come under “subconsciously-induced dreams.” During a nightmare, there will be more energy used by the heart and the circulation, and the breath will be more excited. In superconsciously-induced dreams you will have a more peaceful effect in your body. Your breath, heart and entire physical and vital process, will be quiet. When you have a superconscious dream, your breath and heart will be very much more still than when you have nightmare. Superconscious dreams do not always come true.

Difference Between Hypnosis and Somnambulism

            Hypnosis and Somnambulism are the two opposites. Somnambulism is when the Ego uses certain subconscious films, not only to produce a picture, but uses also the muscles and limbs to act out the movie. It is subconscious control of the conscious processes. When you are consciously walking, you know what you are consciously willing yourself to do. In somnambulism it is controlled by the subconscious. Somnambulism is more dangerous. Certain subconscious experiences take hold of the conscious processes and the body works out that subconscious impulse and it keeps going.

            Hypnosis is when someone else arouses your subconscious to control your conscious; when, by certain suggestions, you arouse the subconscious and tell it to control the conscious — and it lasts only a little while. If you are under the spell of hypnosis, you will not be able to talk, but will only think what the other person is suggesting. Hypnosis takes away mental freedom. It uses the subconscious, and if it overpowers the conscious, it will endanger the brain.

            Spirit hypnosis is when a disembodied soul takes hold of your conscious and subconscious mind and uses it as it wishes. Tramp souls are always moving in the ether, and it is not safe to allow your mind to remain blank. Do not allow your mind to go blank, especially in meditation, but always keep your concentration upon some thought.

--From Praecepta Lesson 75 (1938)

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NORMAL CONSCIOUSNESS

Reversing the Searchlights of the Senses.

Where Is Your Consciousness Centered? In What Slums Is Your Soul Roaming?

            What is the ego?

The soul’s subjective consciousness of the body and its other material relations is termed the ego. The soul itself, being individualized Spirit, should manifest only its kinship with the Spirit, which is unmanifested, ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new Bliss. Hence, as Its reflection the soul, in its true state, is individualized, ever-existing, ever-conscious, ever-new Bliss. The ego, however, being identified with the three bodies— ideational, astral, and physical—(and their normal-abnormal conditions), has put on their natures.

Watching the wanderings of the ego

It is extremely important for the advanced student on the path of meditation to watch the wanderings of his ego in the realms of consciousness—in other words the wanderings of “King Soul” in the form of matter stricken ego.

The physical, astral, and ideational planes must all be comprehended through consciousness. Therefore, we can safely say that when we are in an undeveloped state the roamings of the ego in the “Kingdom of Consciousness” interest us only during the twenty-four man-made terrestrial hours.

The human ego generally travels in the realm of sensation during the waking state, After the curtain of dreams is drawn, the ego semiconsciously roams in the chamber of dreams. It may be said to be semiconscious while dreaming, because it dimly perceives the dream pictures during their performance and can recall them after waking.

Human consciousness is never wholly suspended

During the dream state, the ego is semi-unconscious of the world and of sense experiences—yet it is conscious Of the dream world. It is also conscious of deep sleep while in that state. The link between consciousness and subconsciousness is unbroken; otherwise dreams could not be recalled when consciousness is fully resumed. It is impossible to be wholly unconscious; the soul’s subjective consciousness, or the ego, may be asleep or resting, but this can never be termed “unconsciousness.”

During retirement to the subconscious dream chamber, consciousness casts off its garment of the gross sensations of touch, smell, taste, sight, and audition. But though divested of its physical sense instruments of perception, consciousness still retains its intuitive powers of cognition through the subconscious, and beholds the dreams resulting from memories, thoughts, and the activity of the subtle senses, the mental reflexes of the physical senses (For instance, nearly everyone can recall vivid dreams of eating ice cream, hot pie, or other foods.) However, when the ego enters the silent chamber of deep sleep or semi-superconsciousness, its experiences consist of the unalloyed enjoyment of real peace The human consciousness, turned within, here begins to resume its normal state of calmness, peace, and joy The conscious state is marked by restlessness; die subconscious state, by a mixture of restfulness and activity, but Bliss reigns in the superconscious state.

The ego is peaceful in die realm of semi-superconsciousness, subtly excited or pleased in the dream state, and grossly excited or pleased while experiencing gross sensations.

The links of consciousness

Ordinarily, during its stay in die chamber of sensations, while in die state of physical consciousness, the ego is linked with subconsciousness through memory and with superconsciousness through memory and inward peace—manifested or unmanifested.

Determine which “throne” of consciousness your ego occupies, which consciousness is predominant in your mind.

Determining and changing the predominant state of consciousness.

During waking hours, the conscious state is predominant, die subconscious and superconscious states trailing behind. By the power of concentration, you can make the subconscious or superconscious predominant. The conscious state of restlessness can be changed into the dreamy state of subconsciousness or the supremely peaceful state of superconsciousness In poets, the subconscious usually predominates:  in business men, the conscious state, and in real Yogis and great swamis, the superconscious state.  Change your centre from conscious to superconscious predominance.

The average man generally concentrates, and stays, on the plane of physical consciousness.  But when he is forcibly (through drugs) or passively (through fatigue) led to the subconscious chamber of dreams and quiet sleep, or when he enters the semi-superconsciousness. Of  joyous sleep, his ego generally becomes apparently unconscious or dimly conscious. The ordinary ego can support only one state at a time: the physically conscious state, or the subconscious state, or the semi-superconscious state.

In the untrained ego, sidetracked on the path of upward evolution, the conscious state always predominates. It loves to stay and dream in, and be conscious of, the realm of the senses only. It forgets that during the night it moves semiconsciouslv through the chamber of dreams or through deep semi-superconscious sleep toward the Spirit.

Consciousness is manifested through gross sensation; subtle astral subconsciousness is manifested through dreams, quiet negative Sleep, and through memory which never sleeps.

This subconscious mind is always awake; it works through memory while consciousness predominates, runs the motion picture, theater of dreamland, and enjoys serenity during negative sleep.

Business man vs. Yogi.

Consciousness, subconsciousness, and superconsciousness are different degrees or states of Christ Consciousness—they can never be entirely independent of one another, although one state is usually stronger than the others. The ordinary man works with consciousness predominating, in the Yogi superconsciousness predominates.  Ask yourself at different times during the day which consciousness is predominant in you.

Business men, in whom, as a rule, the conscious state predominates, as well as those who stay on the subconscious plane, are unbalanced and one sided, their happiness depending upon the circumstances in which they find themselves The superconscious individual is not enslaved by conditions outside of himself: he is free and finds happiness within in spite of all circumstances

The mind can control the body

The close relation between body and mind causes a psychological state to be followed by a corresponding physiological reaction which, in turn, intensifies the psychological state.  Be angry and your face will show it. Permit anger to spread through your muscles until you are tense all over, and your anger will increase. The Yogi, by adopting certain psychological states, can produce the corresponding psychological states For instance, during sleep the eyes are closed; so by closing the eyes, the Yogi can produce instantaneous sleep at any tune, anywhere. During the waking state the eyes are open-generally leveled: hence, by keeping the eves level, the Yogi can remain consciously awake for days and weeks.

            Moreover, during the superconscious state and in death, when the soul races toward the superconscious, the eves automatically go upward: so by lifting his eyes upward and focusing his vision on the point between the eyebrows, the Yogi can switch off the motion pictures of dreams or sensations at will and launch into the sea of luminosity, where electrons and life forces and bliss reign in the “Kingdom of Spirit.”

Becoming king of three kingdoms.

            Meditation is the conscious method of entering the subconscious and superconscious realms. By learning to control your eve muscles and shifting the gaze at will, you can transfer your ego from the conscious world to the tranquility of the subconscious dream world or to the superconscious state of perfect joy. Think of the freedom you gain by learning to shift, at will, from the land of terrestrial horror to the land of beautiful dreams, and when even dream fairies bother you, to float in the ether of eternal serenity, or Bliss, where dreams dare not tread or disturb. You are the king of three kingdoms. Realize that. Do not remain imprisoned in, and identified with, the little island of the body.

            The yogi has complete control over all forms of consciousness.

The Yogi can do just as he pleases—he can live in the realm of the senses, or fly to the land of dreams, or float in the vast ocean of eternal Bliss. He may choose superconscious serenity or subconscious dreams, or he may give predominance to semi-superconsciousness, superconsciousness, or Christ Consciousness, at will. If he prefers, he may remain half conscious and half dreaming, or half conscious and half asleep yet dreamless, or he may be semi-superconscious and half dreaming or quietly subconscious. If none of these pleases him; he may elect to enjoy, simultaneously, conscious sensations, dreams, tranquility, subconsciousness, semi-superconsciousness, superconsciousness, and immanent Christ Consciousness

            When he can do that, his ego becomes soul, and his soul breaks its bubble walls and becomes the sea of Spirit—then it attains the state of Nirbikalpa Samadhi or transcendental Cosmic Consciousness In this state he perceives that his “throne” of consciousness rests in the Omnipresent Heart of consciousness, subconsciousness, dream subconsciousness, semi-superconsciousness, superconsciousness, immanent Christ Consciousness, and transcendental Cosmic Consciousness, equally and co-existently, all the time.

Then the “throne” of consciousness, instead of resting on a little speck of sensation, or a “diamond-chip” dream, or a little shining ambition, becomes fixed in the sparkling bosom of Omnipresence.

Technique for producing different states of consciousness

Relax your body in a sitting position Lean against the back of a comfortable chair, Close your eyes and forget your worries, dismissing all restless thoughts; feel drowsy, become passive and mentally “careless”; in other words, “let go,” fall asleep, or at least try to doze. Repeat this several times until the minute you lower the searchlight of your vision, the eyes, closing them and switching off the optical currents, you are instantly submerged in the subconscious.

Then, whenever you are heavy with sleep, quickly tense the whole body and lift your drooping eyes, leveling them in front of you Keep looking at one object without winking, banish sleep at will. Then close your eyes, relax, and fall asleep again.

Every night, before dropping off to sleep, command your subconscious mind to wake you at a different hour. Continue making this suggestion to the subconscious mind until it obeys. Fall asleep with the thought that a matter of vital importance depends upon your getting up at your appointed hour.

After you have trained your subconscious mind to waken you at will, practice fixing your vision on the point between the eyebrows, and instantaneously go consciously in the state of deep peace, of deep intoxicating joy. The regular practice of the fourth and fifth Yogoda lessons and the higher methods will help you to attain this.

Empty your mind of thoughts. Every time thoughts return, firmly dismiss them. Then meditate on peace, be drunk with it; merge in it; consciously sleep over it.

Remember, to gain dominion over the three kingdoms, you must practice these exercises all the time. Whenever you have a period of leisure, lower and close your eyes and enter the “Kingdom of Dreams” at will. Then return at will, leveling your eyes, and enter the “Kingdom of Consciousness,” drinking in the beauties of nature. Then lift your vision up between the eyebrows and enter the superconscious ‘”Kingdom of Bliss.”

You can attain complete freedom from worldly cares only, after you have learned to shift the searchlight of your attention and energy form the conscious to the subconscious plane, or from the conscious to the superconscious plane, either dreaming or enjoying Bliss at will. Then you can fly from the plane of sensations to the plane of dreams or to the realm of eternal peace, as you choose.

Remember, however, that as you shift your vision from the conscious to the subconscious, the life force and energy must also be switched off from the lamps of the billion-celled muscles and the visual, auditory, olfactory, tactual, and gustatory nerves.

In shifting from the conscious to the superconscious plane, your lungs must be breathless, your heart calm, your cells inactive, your circulation stilled, and you must be listening to the symphony of the Cosmic vibration of Om.

While in the superconscious state, one experiences complete cessation of unrest–fruition of peace—soul-expansion, unhampered by the friction attending sensations in the realm of consciousness.

If anyone claimed that he could sleep while he was running, he would be ridiculed, for healthful sleep is always accompanied by sensory and motor relaxation. Many profess to have attained Cosmic Consciousness, who have not yet learned to relax at will. The first signs of the attainment of Cosmic Consciousness are the fixed gaze, the consciously stilled heart, and breathlessness. If one cannot demonstrate these, he has not attained Cosmic Consciousness.

Contacting inner entities.

After you have learned to do this at will, you may practice the following exercise, at night: Lean against the back of a chair. Close your eyes and shift your gaze from the conscious level downward to the subconscious level and fall asleep. Then invoke the souls which have passed on, and meet them there in your consciously arranged reception-parlor of dreamland.

To invoke Christ-like superconscious souls, however, you must extend a superconscious invitation. Lift your gaze and fix it between the eyebrows. Float away to the regions of Bliss. In the chamber of Infinity and Perennial Peace invoke superconscious souls; they will come to you, materializing themselves from the Cosmic Consciousness into distinct saintly forms. The saints who became one with Spirit can be recreated by the spirit. The Spirit Sea becomes the bubble of saintly life Then, when this bubble of life knows itself as the Cosmic Sea, it merges with It. The Spirit Sea can reassume any form which It has once occupied and manifested The Spirit is ever conscious. It has an eternal, unfailing memory.

            These superconscious souls sometimes descend from the Cosmic Consciousness, taking various forms of light, as the Devas so that they might float about the astral spheres of million-hued mellow, spiritual lights, worshipping God in the land of super-electrons and love, and after entertaining Him with the astral “super-talkies” they return to the sphere of Cosmic Consciousness and vanish in the one Infinite Love.

High spiritual development increases one’s capacity for enjoyment. Color becomes more brilliant, sound more marvelous, feeling more intense the farther one advances along the spiritual path.

Liberate “King Soul” from his bondage to body matter, the senses, and other attachments, lift his searchlight (attention) upward, from petty things to Infinity, from worldly pleasures to Eternal Joy, from the little bodily to the Universe, from the limited human consciousness to Cosmic Consciousness.

The little searchlight of attention and the five senses ordinarily are focused on imperfect matter When thrown back upon the Spirit they disclose the Infinite Perfect Light forever dancing on God’s fountain of Bliss, eternally emanating from omnipresence and Christ Consciousness.

--From Yogoda Super-Advanced Course , Lesson 3 (1930), by Swami Yogananda

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SUPERCONSCIOUSNESS

INTRODUCTION

            The oneness of Spirit may be contacted at the subtle pause between the two opposites of vibrational duality. Superconscious awareness—inspiring, life-rejuvenating, and ever-fresh—subtly divides the barren-seeming desert of subconsciousness from the green fields of action and desire that are being cultivated in the present lifetime by the conscious mind.

            On the subconscious side, stretching out into the distance, lie buried countless impressions of past actions and experiences: our unfinished deeds and myriad unfulfilled desires. Though we have forgotten most of them, they will never forget us! The karmic law of cause and effect is inexorable. Emperors reap the consequences of their actions as infallibly as the meanest of their subjects.

            Between the conscious and subconscious minds, dividing but also uniting them, lies superconsciousness. To visualize this ecstatic state of awareness, think of the joy you may have felt, sometimes, in deep sleep, when your mind rose above bodily awareness. In that state you no longer felt conditioned by your subconscious habits. You were aware of yourself as a pure essence.

            The superconscious state begins at a fine dividing line between sleep and wakefulness. If you can catch your mind just at that moment as you are falling asleep, or at that fleeting instant before your consciousness rises to full wakefulness, you may be able to slip gently into semi-superconscious awareness, or enter into full superconsciousness. The more often you repeat this practice, the more clearly you will understand the reality of soul-freedom.

            By going daily into silence in deep meditation, you will arrive at ever more profound levels of superconsciousness. The inner bliss you’ll experience at such times will give everlasting satisfaction to your soul. Once you have that inner joy, nothing on earth will ever tempt you again.

            Emperors pride themselves on their worldly power, but know in their hearts that the authority they wield is bluff and bluster, mainly, for they have no control over their own lives. They rejoice that others envy them their happiness, for popular envy assuages their need for reassurance. In their heart of hearts they know they are not happy.

            In superconsciousness, cosmic power and perfect bliss are the property of every soul. Thus, in divine ecstasy the soul views with pity and compassion those who are highly placed in this world, but miserable.                                --From The Rubayiat of Omar Khayaam,  Quatrain Ten, Swami Kriyananda

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From The Art and Science of Raja Yoga

Chapter 5:7

Once, many years ago, I was leading a meditation in a church in Long Beach. A man came in who was evidently the sort of person who feels deep and inspiring compassion for any alcoholic beverage, inasmuch as he cannot bear to see it confined ingloriously in a bottle when it might be freed to fulfill a nobler function In short, our visitor was grandly, stuporously drunk. Naturally, no doubt, he assumed that, if we weren’t as drunk as he as, we must have sought his cherished state of insensitivity by an unworthy shortcut Staggering up to an usher, and in a conspiratorial stage whisper that filled the room, he demanded:  “What’s happened? Are they asleep?”

Obviously, since we weren’t fidgeting about we could not be awake In his view, the only possible alternative was that, by fair means or foul, we had sunk into a state of subconscious stupor.

It is a sad commentary on this age of supposed enlightenment that most people, teetotalers as well as alcoholics, are quite ignorant of the fact that man’s alternative to a restless, and often anguished, wakefulness is not necessarily oblivion, but that real release lies in expanding one’s consciousness beyond the confinements of thought. This is known as the state of .sw/w-consciousness.

So natural is this state to the fully enlightened soul that I remember my guru remarking once: “Last night I experimented to see how it felt to go into subconsciousness during sleep. It was a most unpleasant sensation. I felt that I was being hemmed in on all sides by thick walls of flesh.” Not the least interesting feature of the Master’s statement was the suggestion that subconscious sleep was, for him, an unusual “experiment.”

What a few persons in this world have achieved, all men may aspire to. The teachings of the great masters of every age emphasize that superconsciousness is man’s only true state of being, compared with which ordinary outward consciousness is only a sort of extended dream.

In meditation especially, and as much as possible all the time, try to think superconscionsly.

But be careful, once you forsake the familiar pathways of rational thought, that you do not slip into a vague pseudo- mystical state that regards every passing impression as a revelation straight from heaven. To be superconscious does not mean to take complete leave of one’s reason, but more to coordinate the rational faculty with higher levels of awareness.

Man’s subconscious impressions and instinctual drives are centered in the lower brain. Here also, in the medulla oblongata, is located the center of all human bondage, the ego. (My guru told me that it is here that the sperm and ovum first unite to begin the formation of the human body.) It is in the frontal section of the brain that man’s intellectual, esthetic, and spiritual awareness is centered. Man’s ascent to superconsciousness corresponds, physiologically, to a re- centering of his awareness in this frontal section, and particularly in the seat of spiritual vision at the point between the eyebrows As the consciousness of worldly men radiates outward from the medulla oblongata (observe how the egotist draws his head back, as if in affirmation of his vested interest in this particular area of his anatomy!), so the consciousness of a master is centered in, and radiates from, the Christ center, or ajna chakrct, between the eyebrows. In point of fact, these two centers of awareness are one: The medulla oblongata is its negative pole, the Christ center, its positive pole But until divine awakening occurs, bringing with it a harmonious flow of energy through the medulla oblongata to the Christ center, these opposite poles are treated in yoga as separate spiritual centers.

In meditation, try to center your consciousness at the point between the eyebrows Do not strain. (Some beginning yogis meditate as if their brains were muscles that must be squeezed into the desired attitudes’) Rather, simply channel your awareness calmly, and with a feeling of joyous aspiration, to that point. What you will be doing, in fact, is focusing more and more of the brain’s energy there The greater this concentration of energy at that point, the more powerfully that portion of the brain will be stimulated and awakened, and the more profound will be your spiritual awareness. Paramhansa Yogananda, as a neophyte in his guru’s ashram, made it a deliberate practice to keep his mind centered at the Christ center throughout the day, regardless what his other activities were. He told us that in this way divine enlightenment can come very quickly. Because the word “energy” evokes images of strain and tension, however, I suggest you think, rather, of focusing your thoughts and aspirations at this spiritual point.

A major vehicle for the brain’s energy is the eyes. Look into the eyes of anyone possessing a strong, vibrant personality (many people’s eyes, alas, are spiritually dead), and feel the intensity of this energy-flow. Observe how people’s eyes can seem almost to blaze with anger, to freeze in contempt, to sparkle with laughter, to melt with kindness and love It is only when an abundance of energy flows through the eyes that they manifest these mental states so clearly, but this flow of energy does more than manifest them: It affirms them, and thereby helps to develop them.

Take care, then, that your eyes express only spiritual qualities, for it is literally true that, as you see the world, so you yourself will tend to become. The eyes, in revealing one’s mental states, suggest also the general portion of the brain in which the consciousness at those times is centered. Particularly, when the mind slips toward subconsciousness and the energy becomes centered in the lower brain, the eyes tend to look downward, when one is involved in the world, or otherwise active on the conscious level, the energy becomes centered more in the mid-brain, and the eyes tend more naturally to look straight ahead, and when one enters a state of superconsciousness, the eyes are drawn automatically to gaze upward.

These directions may be observed to some extent even in normal wakefulness. When a person withdraws mentally from reality, whether in discouragement or in fatigue, he tends to look down. If his withdrawal is for the purpose of pondering something, he may look down and slightly off to the side, as if in partial recognition of the objective world around him If he desires to relate to the world completely, he will look it “straight in the eye”. If he is inspired by something inward, he will tend to look up, if by something outward he may look diagonally upward, as if divided between outward consciousness and superconsciousness.

Much more might be written about the involuntary movements of the eyes. Restless and constantly blinking eyes, for example, indicate a restless mind; quiet, unblinking eyes, a calm mind, staring eyes, a blank (or, sometimes, a veiled) mind. Eyes that look as if pressed inward from the sides suggest mental worry, eyes relaxed at the sides, inner peace; eyes drawn slightly outward at the sides, devotion and a sense of oneness with the Beloved. Shifty eyes indicate untruthfulness–an unwillingness to face reality squarely. Sagging lower lids indicate a downward pull on the mind, whether from ill health, fatigue, dissipation, or despair. Firm and slightly raised lower lids indicate an abundance of vitality, and a radiant inner sense of well being. A tendency to look calmly off to the side indicates a more-than-usually intelligent person.

Again, the right eye represents a person’s rational nature, and left eye, his emotional and “feeling” nature. When reason is uppermost in his consciousness, he tends to think and to express his awareness more through the right eye. When feeling is uppermost, he thinks and expresses himself more through the left eye.

I write these things not so that you may sit judgmentally over your fellow men, but that you may live more consciously through your own eyes. Remember, they are the windows of your soul. Used rightly, they can be made instruments of great blessing and inspiration to others. Just as important, they can help you to affirm and deepen those states of consciousness which you want to develop.

When you sit for meditation, look up toward the point between the eyebrows. I don’t mean to cross your eyes, but only to direct their gaze upwards, focusing them at a point no closer than your thumb, when held up at arm’s length from your body. You might think of your eyes as being situated only in the upper part of their sockets.

Superconsciousness is a fine line of awareness that divides consciousness from subconsciousness. The Spirit, similarly, rests forever at a point midway between all dualities. Closed eyes denote subconsciousness; open eyes, wakefulness. Thus, half-closed and half-open eyes, with the lower lids relaxed and slightly raised, and the upper lids relaxed and slightly lowered, denote the state of superconsciousness. If you can meditate in this position without becoming distracted by outward visual images, you will find it most helpful to do so. (Your eyelids may quiver at first, but you will find them becoming still as your mind grows calm.) Otherwise, practice this half-open and half-closed position for a time, and then close the eyes, keeping them focused upward. Even with the eyes closed, however, feel that their lids have simply relaxed so completely that they happen to meet.

As you meditate, focus every perception at the point between the eyebrows. (Actually, of course, the frontal point in the brain that you should stimulate by concentration is behind the bone ) Every sound that you hear, think of it as emanating from the Christ center, or refer it mentally to that center. Treat every other sensation, every thought in the same way. Direct all the feelings of your heart upward in aspiration to the point between the eyebrows Gradually, as you come to feel God’s blissful presence within you, you will recognize this as the doorway through which the soul communes with him. Aunt, Shanti, Shanti, Shanti

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            When you sit for meditation, look up toward the point between the eyebrows, but only to direct their gaze upwards, focusing them at a point no closer than your thumb, when held up at arm’s length from your body. You might think of your eyes as being situated only in the upper part of their sockets.

Superconsciousness is a fine line of awareness that divides consciousness from subconsciousness. The Spirit, similarly, rests forever at a point midway between all dualities. Closed eyes denote subconsciousness: open eves, wakefulness. Thus, half-closed and half-open eves, with the lower lids relaxed and slightly raised, and the upper lids relaxed and slightly lowered, denote the state of superconsciousness. If you can meditate in this position without becoming distracted by outward visual images, you will find it most helpful to do so. (Your eyelids may quiver at first, but you will find them becoming still as your mind grows calm.) Otherwise, practice this half-open and half-closed position for a time, and then close the eves, keeping them focused upward. Even with the eves closed, however, feel that their lids have simply relaxed so completely that they happen to meet.

As you meditate, focus every perception at the point between the eyebrows. (Actually, of course, the frontal point in the brain that you should stimulate by concentration is behind the bone.) Every sound that you hear, think of it as emanating from the Christ center, or refer it mentally to that center. Treat every other sensation, every thought in the same way. Direct all the feelings of your heart upward in aspiration to the point between the eyebrows. Gradually, as you come to feel God’s blissful presence within you, you will recognize this as the doorway through which the soul communes with him.

--From The Art and Science of Raja Yoga, Chapter 5:7

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Eight Attributes of Superconsciousness

            Superconsciousness—by which I mean that aspect of Cosmic Mind which has entered outward manifestation—contains eight attributes: Light, Sound, Love, Wisdom, Power, Bliss, Peace, and Calmness.

            Peace differs from calmness in one important respect: It is soothing and restful, a deeply enjoyable state after the mind’s long, arduous struggle. Calmness, on the other hand, is dynamic. It is strong sunlight, as opposed to cleansing rain.

            The eight attributes rarely, if ever, appear all at once. They resemble, rather, the facets of a diamond. Each is presented at the right moment, and to the right person. Meditators usually feel themselves attracted to one attribute or another, and are therefore more likely to experience that attribute in themselves. The higher stages of meditation entail progressively deeper absorption in one attribute or another of superconsciousness, until the soul expands to become all of them.

--From Awaken to Superconsciousness, Chapter 16

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God comes to the soul in different ways–as light, or sound, or love, or peace, or intense calmness, or power, or wisdom, or divine joy. One may advance by any one of these paths or by several, but one seldom advances by all of them together until the higher stages of sadhana (spiritual practice) have been attained. One who sees lights may have visions of saints or angels, or of the astral world. One who hears sounds may hear astral music, or the sounds of the spinal centers. One who feels love may find tears flowing inadvertently in meditation. One who feels peace will feel as though he were drinking it in pure, life-giving draughts. One who feels calmness (the positive aspect of peace) may feel his consciousness expanding as if into a vast hall. One who feels divine power will be made intensely aware that God alone is the Doer, that man’s own power is simply non-existent. One who experiences wisdom may develop deep insight into any question he asks of

            God, or he may know himself inwardly as the undying Self. And one who experiences divine joy will never want for anything else.

            But to go deep into any of these experiences, the little ego must be forgotten. So long as one still has the consciousness that he is meditating on them, his meditation will be imperfect. The meditator, the act of meditation, and the object of meditation must become one. For this condition, the first requirement is that the mind be held steady. (A state of excitement renders deep inner experience impossible.) The next requirement is that the breath become calm–indeed, motionless. Once the breath ceases (not by holding it, but as a natural consequence of physical and mental calmness), the thoughts, too, must cease altogether. Until this state is reached, deep spiritual experiences will not be possible.

            One who sees light should concentrate not so much on visions as on entering the light himself. Concentrate on the center of whatever light you see at the point between the eyebrows. If you see the spiritual eye (a circular blue field surrounded by a golden halo, and having a white, five-pointed star in the center), that will be better still. Concentrate on the star if you see it, or in the center of the field of blue. Gradually the gold will expand and form a tunnel. Passing into this tunnel, you will consciously enter the light of the astral world. In time, the blue light will form a tunnel. Entering that, you will enter the light of the causal world, the Christ Consciousness. When you can penetrate the star in the center, you will enter the Spirit beyond vibratory creation.

            I have described elsewhere the sounds of the spinal centers. It is better to hear these sounds than to hear astral music, and better still to hear the sounds of the higher centers than those of the lower. But best of all is it to hear, and merge into, the great sound of Aum.

            One who feels love should seek perfect union with the Divine Beloved. Devotion (bhakti) will not develop into divine love (prem) until it expands beyond ego-consciousness.

            And so also with the other experiences of God: Always they should be offered up to Him, that they take one ever deeper into His consciousness, lest one rest satisfied on a mere ledge, and never reach the mountain top.

            Above all, never compare yourself with another, lest you fall into either discouragement or pride. Don’t even dwell too much on the signs as I have described them here. I have but scratched the surface. God, who is infinite, can come to the soul in an infinity of ways–as exquisite smells, as a thousand sweet tastes crushed into one, as divine instruction, as the purest divine merriment, as the tenderest imaginable forgiveness. Each soul’s relationship with the Infinite is unique. Compare yourself not with others, but only with your own self: Do you love God more now than you used to? Are you developing even- mindedness? Are you more inwardly contented and joyful–or at least happy? Are you renouncing self-will? Do you want to serve and please only God? If your answer to these questions is Yes, and if you can add to  your answer the wish to grow daily in these sublime virtues, know that God and Guru must be well pleased with you. Offer yourself into their arms. They will bear you surely and swiftly to the Divine Shores!                                                                      --From The Art and Science of Raja Yoga, Chapter 14:7

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            “There are eight aspects in which God can be experienced: as Light, Sound, Peace, Calmness, Love, Joy, Wisdom, and Power.

            “To experience Him as Light during meditation brings calmness to the mind, purifying it and giving it clarity. The more deeply one contemplates the inner light, the more one perceives all things as made of that light.

            “To experience God as Sound is to commune with the Holy Ghost, or Aum, the Cosmic Vibration. When you are immersed in Aum, nothing can touch you. Aum raises the mind above the delusions of human existence, into the pure skies of divine consciousness.

            “Peace is an early meditative experience. Peace, like a weightless waterfall, cleanses the mind of all anxiety and care, bestowing heavenly relief.

            “Calmness is another divine experience. This aspect of God is more dynamic and more powerful than that of Peace. Calmness gives the devotee power to overcome all the obstacles in his life. Even in human affairs, the person who can remain calm under all circumstances is invincible.

            “Love is another aspect of God–not personal love, but Love infinite. Those who live in ego-consciousness think of impersonal love as cold and abstract. But divine love is all-absorbing, and infinitely comforting. It is impersonal only in the sense that it is utterly untainted by selfish desire. The unity one finds in divine love is possible only to the soul. It cannot be experienced by the ego.

            “Joy is another aspect of God. Divine joy is like millions of earthly joys crushed into one. The quest for human happiness is like looking around for a candle while sitting out of doors in the sun. Divine joy surrounds us eternally, yet people look to mere things for their happiness. Mostly, all they find is relief from emotional or physical pain. But divine joy is the blazing Reality. Before it, earthly joys are but shadows.

            “Wisdom is intuitive insight, not intellectual understanding. The difference between human and divine wisdom is that the human mind comes at things indirectly, from without. The scientist, for example, investigates the atom objectively. But the yogi becomes the atom. Divine perception is always from within. From within alone can a thing be understood in its true essence.

            “Power, finally, is that aspect of God which creates and runs the universe. Imagine what power it took to bring the galaxies into existence! Masters manifest some of that power in their lives. The expression, ‘Gentle Jesus, meek and mild,’ describes only one side of Jesus’ nature. The other side was revealed in the power with which he drove the moneychangers from the temple. Just think what magnetism it took to combat single-handedly all those men, entrenched as they were in habits and desires that had been sanctioned by ancient custom!

            “People are often appalled by the power they see expressed in the lives of saints. But remember, you will never find God until you are very strong in yourself. Power may exercise less appeal on your mind than other aspects of God, but it is important to realize that divine power, too, is a part of your divine nature.

            “Whatever aspect of God you experience in meditation, never keep it contained in the little chalice of your consciousness, but try always to expand that experience to infinity.”

--From The Essence of Self-realization, Chapter 16:12

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Superconscious	Conscious	Opposite
Peace	relaxation, entertainment,  laziness	conflice, rivalry, nervousness
Calm	indifference	reactivity, aggressivity, emotivity
Joy	happiness, satisfaction	suffering, pain, crises
Love	infatuation, expectations, attachment	hatred, lonliness, judgment
Wisdom	knowledge, reason, intellect	trusting the opinions of others
Power	Physical/phychologica/economic Strength, manipulating others	dipendence
Light	colors	darkness
Sound	Noise, music, voices	Not listening